The group is made up of mercenaries who, according to the publication, are “armed to the teeth.” National state television reports that Konvooi is being paid with “out of budget resources”. A private army has long been active in Crimea which, like the mercenaries of the Wagner group, works alongside the regular Russian army. However, the Russian constitution bans paramilitary units.
The paramilitary unit appears to have ties to the other Russian paramilitary unit Wagner Group. For example, the leader of “Convoy” is Konstantin Pikalov, also known as Mazaj. He previously served as militia chief in Africa for Wagner, on behalf of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
The unit is said to have already been deployed during the occupation of De Krim in 2014. ‘Aksyonov already had access to a small private army at the time. This would have already occupied crucial points in Simferopol (the capital of Crimea, ed), such as the parliament building,’ explained Russia correspondent Joost Bosman.
In November, the “first sounds” about this new paramilitary unit emerged, Bosman says. At the time, the unit would have left with three hundred soldiers. ‘Then they started with a website filled with roaring, nationalist language. This includes ‘Ukrainian Satanism’ and many conspiracy theories.’
High rewards
There is great promise to join ‘Convoy’. For example, paramilitaries are promised pieces of land after they’ve been on duty for a year. Furthermore, a former soldier claims to receive 200,000 Russian rubles (2,400 euros) a month. A commander receives about half on a monthly basis.
“Shows how much importance the Kremlin attaches to Crimea”
The equipment of “Convoy” would be of particularly high quality, believes the correspondent from Russia. “They have three different types of suits, they would have an underground apartment complex and they might even have tanks. That means they are well equipped.’
It will be “very likely” that the unit will also be active in the current war between Russia and Ukraine. «Although they are mainly there to protect the Crimea and the southern tip of the peninsula, near Kherson and Zaporizhia. It also shows how much importance the Kremlin attaches to Crimea.”
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